Theory

At that time, he explained different mechanisms for how ball lightning forms on the ground and in planes.

He said ball lightning on the ground involved an electrical field created in the air above lightning travelling slowly through the ground.

In planes, Lowke said an electric field could be created at the front of the plane by a build up charge on the outside of the plane.

While the plane's metal body acts as a Faraday cage to prevent entry of electrical fields, he identified the non-metallic radome as being one point that would allow an electric field to enter the plane.

Lowke says the mechanism that applies on planes may also apply on the ground and it may be possible to develop experiments to test his electrical discharge theory.

But he says it would be very difficult because of the enormous electrical fields required over a distance of metres to simulate the conditions that produce ball lightning.